Thomas Wolfe, Jr.

A 5"x7" nitrate negative, portrait photograph of Thomas Wolfe, Jr., David City, Nebraska. He is wearing a military uniform from St. John's Military Academy, Delafield, Wisconsin, which features white pants, high-collared jacket with braid trim and several medals on his chest, stripes on the sleeves, a metal belt buckle and a sword hanging at his side. Mr. Wolfe was a graduate of Northwestern University, a leader and entrepreneur in the aeronautics industry and an author.

Thomas Wolfe, Jr., was born June 12, 1901, in David City, Nebraska, the son of Thomas Sr. and M. Madessa Wolfe. Thomas Sr. was the president of the First National Bank. Thomas Jr. graduated from David City High School, St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, and Northwestern University, where he specialized in Military Science and Tactics and taught air transport economics for seven years. He married Ethel Ashby April 16, 1925, and they moved to Pasadena, California. Thomas became vice-president of Pacific-Alaska Division of Pan American World Airways in San Francisco, and established and flew the first commercial around-the-world air service. He established Wolfe Enterprises, an aviation consulting firm for government agencies, university and aerospace industries. Thomas Wolfe, Jr., served as Assistant Secretary of Defense 1956-1957. Besides receiving many aviation awards, he was a football letterman for three years at Northwestern and was a competitive horseman. He died July 30, 1984, in Los Angeles, California.